21 January 2008
Rio Tinto Diamonds to be presenting sponsor at Plumb Club Forum on March 2-3 in New York City
International speakers to address industry challenges
"The Plumb Club Forum brings together a unique collection of participants in the jewelry industry and will provide a great opportunity to focus on key issues, such as ethical practices and consumer confidence, which impact the diamond pipeline," said Ms. Foerster.
Rio Tinto Diamonds is a founding member of the Council for Responsible Jewellery Practices, whose CEO Michael Rae will speak at the Forum on how to ensure an ethical jewelry supply chain.
The Plumb Club Forum is being sponsored by a wide variety of other industry leaders, including JCK Magazine, Gemological Institute of America, ABN AMRO Bank, HSBC Bank, American Gem Society, Antwerp Diamond Bank, Council for Responsible Jewellery Practices, Gem Certification and Appraisal Lab, GemEx Systems, Gemological Science International, IGI, JCK Events, Malca-Amit, Natural Colored Diamond Association, World Gemological Institute, and the World Gold Council.
The by-invitation-only conference is being hosted by The Plumb Club for its retail customers, including majors and independents. It will showcase an impressive roster of international speakers, from Carly Fiorina, the former Chairman/CEO of Hewlett Packard to the Diamond Commissioner of Namibia, Kennedy Hamutenya, to best-selling business authors Seth Godin (Permission Marketing and Purple Cow) and Don Tapscott (Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything).
Innovation strategist Sir Ken Robinson will speak on how to unlock the hidden creativity of employees; Canada's "Rock Star of digital marketing," Mitch Joel, will help demystify the new interactive Web; and marketer Phil McCarty, formerly of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, will present a business-building plan utilizing cause-related marketing.
A fashion-forward panel, with designer and FIT professor George Simonton, Glamour Fashion Editor-at-Large Suze Yalof Schwartz, and Swarovski's Daniel Cohen will provide "Lessons to be learned from the fashion industry."
Diamond experts Martin Rapaport and Chaim Even-Zohar will provide insights on commoditization of diamonds and the revolutionary changes in the diamond pipeline.
A panel of industry insiders, including Cecilia Gardner of JVC, Doug Hucker, AGTA, and JA's Peggy Jo Donahue will discuss solutions for "The Issues That Keep You Up at Night."
GIA will present the latest updates in gem and diamond treatments, synthetics and gem trends, along with hands-on gemological refresher sessions.
Retailers who wish to attend the Forum should contact their Plumb Club supplier, or for more information, visit http://www.plumbclub.com/ or call 201-816-8881.
About the Plumb Club
The Plumb Club, founded in 1983, is a unique coalition of leading manufacturers spanning all facets of the jewelry and diamond industry with the common denominator of being "best in class." The 46 Plumb Club members account for approximately US$8 billion in wholesale jewelry sales.